Tim McCarver Commemorates Mariano Rivera's Career with 'Enter Sandman' Reading

Mariano Rivera’s entrance at the 2013 MLB All-Star Game was nothing short of hair-raising.

For several minutes, the field at Citi Field was all his, and more than a few goosebumps rippled across the nation as the Yankees star trotted out to the mound to Metallica’s “Enter Sandman" in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Everyone felt the gravity of the moment, perhaps none more so than sportscaster Tim McCarver, who commemorated the occasion by awkwardly reading back the lines of the “Enter Sandman” chorus to the television audience.

“Exit light...enter night...take my hand. We’re off to Never-Never Land. I bet.”

Co-caster Joe Buck sat on silently, presumably wondering where this was going and if he should admonish his colleague on encouraging young children to visit seedy make-believe neighborhoods.

Realizing he hadn’t struck a profound chord, McCarver ended his haunting monologue with an Aristotelian tie-in about how batters are sent off to Never-Never Land when Rivera is pitching.

Live sportscasting doesn’t get much stranger than a 70-year-old man capturing the moment by quoting Metallica. Things like this just don’t happen, but when they do, they become an instant classic.

Still, about half of the Internet savored every second of McCarver entering the Sandman.

The other half of the Internet cursed the gods and began stockpiling non-perishable foods, however.

So what’s next for McCarver? A live tour with Velvet Revolver? Solo albums? Will he kick out Roy Dotrice and take over reading the Game of Thrones books-on-tape series? 

No one knows, but don’t be surprised if McCarver does it again. It’s only a matter of time until some player comes out to Disturbed and we hear him go off.

“Get up...come on get down...with the sickness...I’m sure pitchers get sick when they see this young man at the plate.”

"Ooh wah-ah-ah-ah"